IN CONVERSATION
Does Dezzi refurbish equipment?
Our factory focuses on manufacturing new.
However, with longstanding customers we
would consider, if requested, to refurbish
equipment, but it depends on the amount of
new orders that are currently in production
in the factory.
South African equipment manufacturers
have to compete with big global
international companies who usually have
funding models to assist new entrants into
the South African economy. What is your
opinion on this, and how does Dezzi deal
with these challenges? Does the company
offer any assistance at all for new owners
who doesn’t necessarily have the means
to finance their fleet of equipment?
Our answer to this was to launch our
own in-house finance, Dezzi-Fin, where
we are able to offer, not only new
customers, but existing customers,
financial packages at extremely
competitive rates; whether it be one
machine, a fleet, or a packaged deal.
What effect, in your opinion, has the
downturn in the economy had on the
decision to hire or buy new or used
equipment?
In our experience, customers have
opted for extended warranties, to
enhance the life expectancy of their
current fleet, which adds to our business
as we get to maintain and sell more
parts. There may be companies sourcing
second-hand equipment, but they soon
find out that maintaining second-hand
equipment can be more expensive than
to purchase new.
www.equipmentandhire.co.za
Why should companies purchase
equipment from Dezzi?
The brand and its owners have shown
consistency in 24 years of manufacturing and
44 years in business. Once you have built
a relationship with Dezzi, it is a long-lasting
relationship. The directors have not changed
in 24 years. A promise made 24 years’ ago
will be kept today, as the end-users are
dealing with the same people. They do not
have to explain a challenge, or agreement, to
new management every few years.
The fact that Dezzi has kept its doors
open for more than two decades is proof
that the machines are ‘built Africa tough’,
and even more so, the proof of the pudding
is in the number of repeat orders that
are placed to the factory every year. With
proven components, backed by great after-
market service, the machines have proved
themselves in the most robust conditions,
and deliver productivity at your fingertips.
What unique feature does Dezzi
equipment offer its potential clients?
Our machines are ‘built Africa tough’
with minimum electronics, which leads
to minimum breakdowns, and lower
maintenance costs. We also offer a 5 000-
hour warranty on any of our chassis, which
is exclusive to the industry, and a 10 000-
hour standard warranty on our tandem
drives (to our knowledge this is a world first).
Does Dezzi operate outside the borders
of South Africa and if so, where? Do they
see possible growth opportunities in the
rest of Africa?
We currently have dealers in Malawi,
Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana,
Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini. We are in
negotiations to expand our footprint into
other neighbouring countries. Looking
at our order book for 2020 there is
enormous growth in sub-Saharan Africa.
What can we expect from Dezzi in the
future? How will the company remain
relevant in a fast-changing world
where more operations are looking
at new technology, digitalisation and
automation?
We will always have our original customer
base, that prefer the ‘built Africa tough’
machines, but due to customer demand,
Dezzi formed a partnership with Cukurova
Machine Industries from Turkey and have
been importing the Dezzi-CMI backhoe loader
since 2017. In 2020 we are boosting our
product offering with 15t, 20t and 25t wheel
loaders from CMI that will run alongside our
Dezzi range so we can offer a product to each
customers taste. We are partnering with Kato
from Japan to offer excavators to our end-
users in 2020 (the first units that landed at
the end of 2019, have already been sold). The
factory is running at capacity, and we realised
that in order to answer customer needs, it
is time to partner with OEMs, to offer a full
earthmoving package.
In order to grow the product offering, Dezzi partnered with Cukurova Machine
Industries from Turkey in 2017. The Dezzi-CMI backhoe loader is fitted with a Perkins
engine and ZF transmissions and axles offering 75kW.
MARCH 2020
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